The price of Romaine lettuce stands at its lowest since February 2016

VALENCIA FRUITS. REDACCIÓN.

22/06/2017

Lettuce reached a historic maximum price in late January due to the cold wave that affected production areas

The average price at origin for Romaine lettuce in week 23 (June 5th to 11th, 2017) stood at 14.06 euros /100 piece, after falling to 28.18% with regards to week 22. Its price has dropped to its lowest value since February 2016 (week 6), when it stood at 13.46 euros/100 piece.

These are the figures obtained from the report on average national agricultural prices published weekly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Food and Environment (Mapama).

Lettuce, that at the end of January managed to reach a historic high (53.39 euros/100 piece), later dropped in week 23 due to the cold wave that affected producing areas and “mostly dragged by its fall in the Murcia markets,” According to the Mapama.

According to the historical data of origin prices provided by the Ministry, just a year ago (week 23 of 2016), the grower was being paid for lettuce 26.84 euros/100 piece, below the value reached that same week in 2015 (27.07 euros/100 piece).

The fall in price at origin of Romaine lettuce contrasts with the “predominance of increasing values” in other major horticultural crops, including courgette (+28.92%, 25.99 euros/100 kg), similar to the 26.82 euros/100 kg reached in week 23 of 2016 and over 16.50 euros/100 kg for the same period in 2015.

Flat round tomato increases its price by 26.05% (34.58 euros/100kg) and eggplant 11.45% (42.42 euros/100kg). Whilst the “usual trend for potato at this point in the season, according to the Ministry, follows a price decrease at origin” (–12.82%, 29.65 euros/100 kg).

In stone fruit, the Ministry of Agriculture confirms a price increase of 20.3% for peach (54.97 euros/100 kg) —after having descended another 20% during the previous week—, “driven by the entry into commercialization of new markets with higher starting prices.” Meanwhile cherry suffers a new cutback (–16.26%, 118.74 euros/100 kg).